Cap-firing device



Oct. 29, 1968 J. w. RYAN ET AL 3,407,532

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Oct. 29, 1968 J. w. RYAN ET AL 3,407,532

. CAP-FIRING DEVICE Filed April 14 1966 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Man rams ,734/4 40. Ard

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19.58 J. w. RYAN ET AL 3,407,532

CAP-FIRING DEVICE Filed April 14, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 W. mm 1 m 7 v Mm K Irrlgptr:

United States Patent 3,407,532 CAP-FIRING DEVICE John W. Ryan, Bel Air, Robert A. MacMeekin, Huntington Beach, and Berne E. Danielsen, Pacific Palisades, Calif., assignors to Mattel, Inc., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 542,515 Claims. (Cl. 46-196) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A resilient housing contains a cap firing mechanism having an actuator arranged to advance a strip of caps on an anvil and cock and release a hammer. A string is secured to the actuator and extends out of the housing. When the end of the string is held and the housing is thrown far enough to tension the string, the latter moves the actuator and causes firing of a cap on the anvil. A portion of the housing can be flexibly opened to permit replacing the supply of caps.

The present invention relates generally to a noisemaking device or toy, and, more particularly, to a capfiring device which can be thrown to fire a cap in response to tension on an elastic member secured to the device, and then returned to the user, owing to the resiliency of the member.

An object of the present invention is to provide a noise-making device or toy which can be thrown to produce a noise and is easily returnable to the user.

An additional object is to provide a noise-ma king device or toy which can be thrown to effect a change in its appearance and to produce a noise.

Another object is the provision of a throwable, capfiring device which is capable of firing one or more caps and of being returned to the user, without necessitating the striking of a surface, such as a floor, wall or the like.

A further object is the provision of a throwable, capfiring device which is capable of firing only a single cap or a number of caps in rapid succession, solely at the discretion of the user.

Yet another object is to provide a throwable, capfiring device which is so formed that its function is not apparent from its outer appearance.

Still another object is the provision of a throwable capfiring device which is so constructed as to provide for the easy mounting and replacement of a cap roll therein and for the automatic advancing of the roll each time a cap is fired.

A further object is the provision of a throwable, noisemaking or cap-firing toy having a one-piece housing of a novel construction which is easily opcnable and closable.

An additional object is to provide a throwable capfiring and appearance-changing device or toy which incorporates an elastic member that is utilized to effect the firing of a cap or caps and a change in appearance when the device is thrown, to maintain the device under the control of the user, and to return the device to the user.

A still further object is to provide such a cap-firing and appearance-changing device wherein the cap-firing and appearance-changing mechanisms are connected to an elastic member which extends outwardly of the device and is grippable by the user, so that the mechanisms are actuable in response to tension on the member, induced by a throwing of the cap-firing device.

An additional object is the provision of such a throwable cap-firing and appearance-changing device wherein the resilience of the elastic member, which actuates the 3,407,532 Patented Oct. 29, 1968 device when it is thrown, is utilized to return the device to the user.

Another object is to provide a cap-firing device or toy which is durable, versatile, reliable in operation, economical to manufacture and assemble, and which provides a great appeal to children. According to the present invention, one embodiment of the throwable cap-firing device generally comprises a housing formed of a flexible, shock-resistant material, such as rubber or a synthetic equivalent, or a plastic material, and having two interfitting portions which are removably secured together. A portion of the housing is capable of rotatably supporting a cap roll and comprises a movable anvil on which the leading portion of the cap strip is retainably disposed for firing. A hammer member is pivotally mounted on the housing for engagement with the anvil and is normally biased in a direction towards the anvil by a torsion spring or other suitable means. An actuator member is movably mounted within the housing for engagement with the hammer to effect firing movement thereof for the firing of a cap on the anvil, and for engagement with the movable anvil for the advancement of the anvil and the cap strip thereon. A grippable, flexible member, such as a string, is secured to the actuator member and extends outwardly of the housing, for the purpose of moving the actuator member into engagement with the hammer to fire a cap on the anvil each time the string is tensoned in response to movement of the device, induced by the throwing of it by the user.

In a preferred embodiment, the string is elastic and resilient so that it will exert a return force on the capfiring device after it has traveled a predetermined distance, to thus enable it to be easily returned to the user after a cap has been fired. Since the actuator member also advances the anvil and cap strip thereon each time the string is tensioned, caps may be fired in rapid succession by successive movements of the device and tensioning of the string. The actuator member also serves to positively stop advancement on the anvil after a cap is fired and to properly index the anvil for the firing of another cap by the hammer.

In a modified form of the device, it also comprises an assembly for changing its appearance in response to tensioning of the string. For example, a pair of wing members are movably mounted on the housing and are normally urged to a position wherein they are hidden within the housing when the string is not subjected to tension. When the string is tensioned in response to movement of the housing, the wing members are moved outwardly of the housing to change its appearance and the cap-firing mechanism is actuated as hereinbefore described.

The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational, sectional view of a capfiring device construction in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 1a is a sectional view taken substantially along line la-la of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE lb is a sectional view taken substantially along line 1b1b of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of one form of a housing construction for the instant cap-firing device, showing separable portions of the housing in removably secured relation;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, showing the housing portions in separated relation;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a second form of housing construction for the instant cap-firing device, wherein a portion of the housing is openable to allow the replacement of a cap roll therein;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic view generally showing the opeartion of the instant cap-firing device;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of housing for the instant noise-making or cap-firing device;

. FIGURES 7 and 8 are elevational views, partly in section, of a modified form of throwable, cap-firing device wherein appearance-changing means in the form of wing members are provided;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of retaining means for the elastic member of the instant noise-making or cap-firing device, the modified retaining means comprising an adjustable wrist band; and

FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 are perspective views of a further modified form of housing for the instant noisemaking or cap-firing device, wherein the housing is of one-piece construction and comprises integral locking means.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, FIGURES 1, 1a and 1b illustrate a throwable, noise-making device comprising a housing 12 which preferably is of an oval shape, although it may be of any other suitable shape. The housing 12 preferably is of a size which enables it to be easily held within the hand of a child or other person playing with it, and is formed of a suitable flexible and resilient material such as rubber or a synthetic equivalent thereof, or a plastic material, such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Mounted with the housing 12 is a noise-making unit, such as a cap-firing device 14, which is adapted to be actuated in response to the tensioning of a flexible member, such as a string 16, which is secured thereto and extends outwardly of the housing 12.

The cap-firing device 14 is mounted on a plate 17 secured to the housing in any suitable manner, and comprises a generally cylindrical anvil member 18 which is rotatable about a shaft 20 that is mounted in a boss on the plate 17. The anvil 18 has a plurality of radially outwardly extending, equally spaced spikes 22 on the periphery thereof, which are adapted to be received in similarly spaced apertures in a cap strip 24 for advancing the leading portion thereof from a cap roll 26, which is mounted for dispensing rotation on a pin 27 in a receptacle portion defined by an arcuate rib 28 on the plate 17. It is noted that the plate 17 may be formed of any suitable material and may be provided with any suitable means, other than the pin 27, for removably and rotatably supporting a cap roll thereon. Disposed adjacent the anvil 18 and secured thereto is a ratchet member 30 having a plurality of generally outwardly extending, equally spaced teeth 32.

A hammer member 34, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 36 that is secured to the plate 17 in any suitable manner, is adapted to engage the periphery of the anvil 18 between the spikes 22 thereof for the purpose of firing cap charges on the cap strip 24 disposed on the anvil. A torsion spring 38 surrounds the shaft 36 and has one end thereof in engagement with the hammer 34 to bias it toward the anvil 18, and the other end thereof is retainably disposed against an extension 40 on the plate 17.

An actuator or pawl member 42 is slidably mounted on the plate 17 and has a laterally extending tab 44 at one end that extends through a slot 46 in the plate 17. The other end of the actuator member 42 is provided with a first depending tooth 48 which is adapted to engage the teeth 32 on the ratchet member 30 for the purpose of advancing the ratchet and the anvil 18 in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 1, each time the actuator member 42 is moved to the left as seen in FIGURE 1. Similarly, the actuator member 42 is provided with a second depending tooth 50 which is engageable with an upstanding portion 52 on the hammer member 34 each time the actuator member is moved to the left on the plate 17. The engagement of the tooth 50 with the hammer portion 52 serves to rotate the hammer in a counter-clockwise direction to a firing position against the force of the torsion spring 38 (see the broken lines in FIGURE 1).

As further shown in FIGURE 1, the actuator member 42 is normally maintained in a position wherein its tab 44 is in the right end of the slot 46 and wherein its teeth 48 and 50 are out of engagement with the adjacent ratchet tooth 32 and the upstanding hammer portion 52, respectively, by a torsion spring 54 surrounding the extension 40 and having one end in engagement with the tab 44 and the other end in engagement with a pin 58 on the plate 17.

The actuator member 42 further comprises a depending arm 60 at the end thereof adjacent the tab 44. Secured to the depending arm 60 in any suitable manner is one end of the flexing string 16, which extends outwardly of the housing 12 through an aperture therein and has a ring 64 or other grippable or string-retaining member secured to or formed on the outer end thereof (see FIGURE 5). The upper portion of the actuator member 42 comprises an upwardly extending face 57 which is engageable with a projection 59 on the plate 17 to limit the movement of the actuator member to the left, as seen in broken lines in FIGURE 1. The actuator member 42 is provided with an inclined lower face 61 adjacent the depending tooth 48 thereof, the face 61 being inclined similarly to and engageable with the adjacent one of the flat surfaces 63 of the ratchet 30, for the purpose of positively stopping counter-clockwise rotation of the ratchet 30 and the anvil 18 after a cap has been fired by the hammer 34, as will be more fully described hereinafter,

As shown in FIGURES 1, 1a and 1b, an arcuate retainer element 65 is pivotally mounted at one end on the plate 17 and is biased into engagement with the periphery of the anvil 18 by a torsion spring 67 for the purpose of maintaining the cap strip 24 on the anvil. The retainer element 65 is provided with a longitudinal slot 69 (see FIGURE la) to accommodate the anvil spikes 22 during rotation of the anvil.

The housing 12 may be constructed in any suitable manner without departing from the spirit or scope of the instant invention. As an illustrative example, and referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, the housing 12 could be formed of two parts or halves 66 and 68 which are adapted to be snap-fitted or otherwise removably secured together. The housing portion 66 is formed with a recess 70 and an adjacent locking rib 72 which are adapted to resiliently receive a second locking rib 74 on the housing portion 68, as shown in FIGURE 2. With this type of housing construction, it is preferable that the support plate 17 for the cap-firing unit 14 shown in FIGURE 1, be mounted on one of the housing portions 66 or 68, in order to facilitate the separation thereof for the purpose of replacing a cap roll 26 thereon. For example, one of the housing portions 66 or 68 could be constructed in accordance with the housing 12 as shown in FIGURE 1, while the other housing portion would have a similar shape and size and would be substantially free of any operating elements on the interior thereof.

An example of an alternate form of a housing construction is shown in FIGURE 4, wherein the housing comprises two portions or halves 76 and 78 which are secured together in any suitable manner throughout most of their contacting or abutting surfaces. At the end of the housing adjacent the cap roll receptacle portion 28, however, the housing portions 76 and 78 are separable so that a cap roll 26 may be conveniently mounted on the pin 27 and the leading portion thereof mounted on the anvil 18 so that the cap strip will be advanced thereby. Since the housing is formed of a flexible and resilient material, the separated housing ends 76 and 78 will resiliently return to a position wherein they are disposed in abutting relation after the cap roll has been operatively mounted therein.

A further modified form of housing construction is disclosed in FIGURE 6. The modified housing 112 preferably is formed of a suitable flexible and resilient material, such as a rubber or a plastic, and has secured thereto or formed integral therewith a pair of outwardly extending Wings 114 disposed on opposite sides thereof, which may, for example, simulate the Wings of a bat or other type of flying figure. One end of the housing 112 preferably is provided with a hinged portion 116 which may be opened for the replacement of a cap roll in the housing, as hereinbefore described. The portion 116 preferably is formed integral with the housing 112 and is hinged thereto along a thinned or weakened hinge line 118. A book member 120 is provided on a portion of the housing 112 adjacent the openable portion 116 for the purpose of enabling the portion 116 to be snapped over the hook member 120 and retained in a closed position. It is obvious that the openable portion 116 of the housing 112 could be removably secured in a closed position in any other suitable manner, without departing from the scope of this invention.

In the operation of the instant noise-making or capfiring toy, as schematically shown in FIGURE 5, the ring member 64 on the outer end of the string 16 preferably is placed over the finger or wrist of the user and the housing 12 is thereafter thrown away from the user to tension the string 16. When the string is tensioned, the movement of the housing 12 causes the actuator member 42 to be moved to the left against the force of the spring 54, as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 1. The depending teeth 48 and 50 of the actuator member 42 thus engage the adjacent ratchet tooth 32 and the upstanding hammer portion 52, respectively, to rotate the ratchet member 30, the anvil 18, and the hammer 34 in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 1. It is noted that the hammer 34 is first rotated out of enengagement with the anvil 18 prior to rotation of the latter by the actuator member 42. The counter-clockwise rotation of the anvil 18 advances the cap strip 24 thereon so that a cap charge disposed between the spikes 22 thereof is positioned for engagement by the hammer 34. The anvil 18 is positively stopped in the proper position for the firing of the cap charge by the engagement of the lower face 61 of the actuator member 42 with the adjacent ratchet surface 63, the actuator member also being positively stopped at substantially the same time by the engagement of its face 57 with the plate projection 59 (see the broken lines in FIGURE 1). This positive stopping of the anvil rotation is an important feature of the instant invention, owing to the great force with which the anvil is rotated in response to tensioning of the string 16. When the actuator member 42 has moved to the left a suflicient distance for the depending tooth 50 thereof to move beyond the upstanding hammer portion 52, the torsion spring 38 rotates the hammer in a clockwise direction into engagement with the anvil 18 to fire the cap charge on the cap strip. When the tension on the string 16 is relieved, the spring 54 serves to urge the actuator member 42 to the right, thereby returning it to the position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 1.

It will be readily apparent that each time the string 16 is tensioned in response to movement of the housing 12, the cap strip 24 will be automatically advanced on the anvil and an explosive charge on the cap strip will be automatically fired by the hammer 34. The instant cap-firing device 10, therefore, is operable to successively and rapidly fire caps so long as an unfired portion of the cap strip 24 remains on the anvil.

As the leading portion of the cap strip 24 is successively advanced on the anvil 18 and fired by the hammer 34, the used portion of the cap strip is advanced between a pair of guide members formed on the housing 12, and is removed from the housing through an aperture 82 in a lower portion thereof (see FIGURE 1), thereby preventing an accumulation of used portions of the cap strip within the housing, which may adversely affect the operation of the cap-firing mechanism thereln.

It is noted that the flexible string 16 preferably is formed of or comprises a suitable elastic material such as rubber or a synthetic equivalent, so that, after it has been tensioned in response to movement of the cap-firing device 10, its resilience serves to urge the device back toward the user to enable it to be easily retrieved (see FIGURE 5). In addition, the elasticity of the string 16 enables the cap-firing device 10 to be repeatedly urged in various directions to successively and rapidly fire caps thereon, without necessitating a return of the device to the hand of the user or a striking of the device on a surface, such as a floor or wall.

It is apparent that various types of noise-making units, other than a cap-firing device, could be operatively mounted within the housing 12 and actuated by the tensioning of the string 16, in response to movement of the housing 12, without departing from the spirit or scope of the instant invention. For example, rather than firing caps, the pivotal movement of the hammer 34 could be utilized to strike a vibratory or other type of sound producing object to effect a relatively loud sound each time the string were tensioned. Moreover, any other suitable type of noise-making unit that is operable by the tensioning of a member such as the string 16, could be incorporated within the housing 12, in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of noisemaking device 210 comprising a housing 212 and a mechanism 214 for effecting the successive firing of caps in response to the tensioning of an elastic member 216 extending outwardly of the housing 212. The cap-firing and advancing mechanism 214 shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, while being somewhat diiferent in construction, is substantially identical in operation to that shown in FIGURE 1 and hereinbefore described. The modified device 210, however, additionally incorporates appearance-changing means in the form of a pair of Wing members 218 which are pivotall mounted on pins 220 secured to the housing 212 in any suitable manner. The wing members 218 are movable from the retracted position shown in FIGURE 7, wherein they are hidden within the housing 212, to the open position of FIGURE 8, wherein they extend outwardly of the housing 212 through elongated slots 222 provided in opposite sides thereof. An inner portion of each of the wing members 218 is pivotally secured to one end of a curved link 224 which extends rearwardly in the housing 212 and has a side cam surface 226 in engagement with a rotatable bearing member 228 mounted on the housing in any suitable manner. The opposite end of each link 224 overlaps the corresponding end of the other link, and these ends are pivotally secured to the hammer member 230 of the cap firing mechanism 214 by a common pin 232. A coil spring 234 is disposed between and has its ends secured to the links 224 and serves to normally urge them to the position shown in FIGURE 8, wherein the Wing members 218 extend outwardly of the housing 212.

In the operation of the modified device 210 of the instant invention, it will be understood that the wings 218 are normally maintained in the retracted position of FIGURE 7 by the torsion spring 238 (see FIGURE 8), which serves to urge the hammer 230 in a counterclockwise direction into engagement with the anvil 219, in a manner described above with respect to the device 10 of FIGURE 1. The torsion spring 238 is a more powerful spring than the helical coil spring 234 which tends to urge the links 224 and the wing members 218 to the open position of FIGURE 8. Each time the string 216 is tensioned in response to movement of the housing 212, induced by a throwing of it in the manner described above, the tooth 250 of the actuator member 242 engages the upper portion 252 of the hammer member 230 to rotate it in a clockwise direction (as seen in FIGURE 8) against the force of the torsion spring 238. This clockwise movement of the hammer member 230 pulls the links 224 to the right (as seen in FIGURE 8) and causes the cam surfaces 226 thereof to slide along the bearing members 228 until the latter reach the high points of the cam surfaces. The ends of the links 224 secured to the wing members 218 are thus moved inwardly toward each other to effect an outward pivoting of the wing members 218 on the pins 220.

It is apparent, therefore, that each time the string 216 is tensioned, the wing members 218 are pivoted to exposed positions outwardly of the housing 212, as shown in FIGURE 8, and immediately thereafter a cap on the anvil 219 is fired by the hammer 230 under the force of the torsion spring 238, in a manner hereinbefore described. Upon return movement of the hammer 230 into engagement with the anvil 219, the links 224 are again moved to the retracted position shown in FIGURE 7, wherein the wing members 218 are again hidden within the housing 212.

It is noted that the wing members 218 may be of any suitable shape and formed of any suitable material. Preferably, they are formed of a flexible and resilient, plastic or rubber material and are shaped in a manner to simulate the wings of a hat or other type of flying figure.

FIGURE 9 illustrates a modified form of string retaining member 300 for the cap-firing device of the instant invention. The retaining member 300 comprises a wrist band 302 formed of an elastic material, such as rubber, and having a snap 304 or other attaching means mounted on one end thereof, which is adapted to cooperate with one of a series of snap-receiving members 306, so that the wrist band 302 may be conveniently, retainably mounted on wrists of various sizes. The end of the wrist band 302 adjacent the snap-receiving members 306 terminates in a narrow portion 308 having a looped end 310. Preferably, a non-elastic string 312 is tied onto the looped end 310 of the wrist band 302, and the other end of the string is attached to the actuator member for the cap-firing device, as shown in FIGURE 1. Since the string 312 is non-elastic, it can be made of a strong and wear-resistant material which will not require frequent replacement. Through the use of the wrist band 302, however, the cap-firing device secured to the string 312 can still be elastically returned to the user, in the manner described above, owing to the narrow elastic portion 318 of the band which is secured to the string 312.

Referring now to FIGURES 10 through 12, there is disclosed therein a modified form of housing 400 adapted for use with the noise-making or cap-firing device of the instant invention' The housing 400 is molded or otherwise formed of a suitable flexible plastic material having all of the parts thereof integrally connected, as shown in FIGURE 10. The housing 400 comprises a first half 402 and a second half 404 that are secured by a hinge strap 406 which is deformable so that the housing halves 402, 404 may be disposed in abutting or closed relation, as shown in FIGURES 11 and 12. Either of the housing halves 402 or 404 may be provided with integral upstanding supporting portions 408 for the mounting of a plate (not shown), supporting a suitable noise-making or cap-firing device (not shown) of the type described above. A pair of wing members 410 are integrally formed on either of the housing halves 402 or 404 to simulate the appearance of a bird, bat or other flying figure or object. As shown in FIGURE 10, the housing half 404 has integrally formed thereon a locking strap 412 hav- 8 ing outwardly diverging arms 414 on the outer end thereof. Each of the arms 414 is provided with an elongated aperture 416 therein which is adapted to cooperate with one of a pair of hooked portions 418 that are integrally formed on the outer side of the housing half 404 (see FIGURE 12).

It will be readily understood that the modified housing 400 may be easily opened in the manner shown in FIGURE 10 for the servicing of the noise-making or capfiring device mounted thereon, or for the replacement of caps in the cap-firing device. When it is desired to close the housing 400, the housing halves 402 and 404 are disposed in abutting or closed relation by pivoting one or the other about the flexible and integral hinge strap 406. Thereafter, the locking strap 412 on the housing half 404 is deformed over the outer side of the housing half 402, to surround it in the manner shown in FIGURE 11, and is retained in this position by the engagement of the locking strap ends 414 with the hooked members 418 on the exterior of the housing half 404, as shown in FIGURE 12. In this position, the locking strap 412 serves to lock the housing halves 402 and 404 in closed or abutting relation through the extension of the hooked members 418 through the slots 416 in the locking member arms 414. When desired, the housing halves 402 and 404 may be easily separated or opened by removing the locking strap ends 414 from the hooked members 418 so that the halves 402, 404 may again assume the open position shown in FIGURE 10.

The noise-making devices of the present invention described above provide novel and amusing toys which may be used to repeatedly and rapidly produce a noise, without necessitating the striking of the unit against a solid object. Further, such a device is always maintained under the control of the user, and is easily retrievable by the user, owing to its elastic string or retaining member. By mounting the noise-making or'cap-firing unit of the device within an enclosing housing, there is provided an additional feature of surprise in that the function of the device is not apparent from its outer appearance.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A throwable toy, comprising:

a cap-firing noise-making means having a resiliently biased movable actuator member,

a flexible housing mounting and enclosing said noisemaking means, said housing having an integral portion which is movable to an open and a closed position for selectively exposing at least a portion of said noise-making means, and

a flexible member connected at one end to said actuator member and extending outwardly of said housing so as to be grippable at the other end thereof, tension in said flexible member serving to effect movement of said actuator member against the bias thereof and the operation of said noise-making means when said member is tensioned in response to movement of said housing and said noise-making means caused by throwing said housing while holding the said other end of said flexible member.

2. The toy of claim 1 wherein said cap-firing mechanism comprises an anvil for supporting a cap, a hammer engageable with said anvil for firing a cap disposed thereon, said actuator member being engageable with said hammer to effect firing movement thereof when said flexible member is tensioned.

3. The toy of claim 2 wherein said anvil is movable and is adapted to retainably support a cap strip thereon, and

wherein said actuator member is engageable with said anvil to advance it and the cap strip thereon each time said flexible member is tensioned, thereby enabling caps to be successively advanced and fired in a rapid manner by successive tensioning of said flexible member.

4. The toy of claim 3, further comprising means for positively stopping actuating movement of said actuator member, and means on said actuator member for positively stopping advancing movement of said anvil when the actuating movement of said actuator member is so stopped.

'5. The toy of claim 1 wherein said flexible member comprises an elastic string which, owing to its resilience, serves to enable the housing to be easily returned to the hand of the user after it has been thrown.

6. The toy of claim 1 wherein said flexible member comprises an elastic portion at said other end thereof which is retainable by the user.

7. The toy of claim 6 wherein said elastic portion comprises an adjustable wrist band.

8. The toy of claim 6 wherein said flexible member comprises a non-elastic portion removably connected to said actuator member and to said elastic portion.

9. The toy of claim 1 wherein said housing portion is hingedly connected to said housing and is provided with integral means for retaining it in a closed position on said housing.

10. The toy of claim 9 wherein said retaining means comprises an elongated flexible strap which is bendable over said housing to surround it, and locking means engageable with said strap to maintain it in surrounding relation to said housing and to retain said housing portion in a closed position.

11. A throwable, noise-making toy, comprising:

a cap-firing unit, a housing substantially enclosing and mounting said cap-firing unit, said housing having a portion which is adapted to be flexed to an open position to allow the loading of caps in said unit, an elastic member connected at one end to said capfiring unit and extending outwardly of said housing so as to be easily gripped at the other end thereof, said elastic member serving to effect the operation of said cap-firing unit when said member is tensioned in response to movement of said housing.

12. The toy of claim 11 wherein said housing comprises two parts which are secured together throughout most of their abutting surfaces, and said housing portion comprises an area of said housing wherein said parts abut without securement in a manner to be deformably separable.

13. The toy of claim 11 wherein said housing portion is hingedly connected to said housing by an integral thinned area.

14. A toy, comprising:

a housing,

a cap-firing mechanism mounted within said housing, said housing being flexibly operable for loading a strip of caps in said mechanism,

appearance-changing means mounted within said housing, and

a flexible member connected to said noise-making unit and said appearance-changing means and extending outwardly of said housing so as to be easily gripped, said flexible member serving to effect the operation of said noise-making unit and the exposing of said appearance-changing means when said member is tensioned in response to movement of said housing.

15. The toy of claim 14 wherein said appearance-changing means comprises a pair of wing members movably mounted on said housing and being extendable outwardly therefrom in response to tensioning of said flexible member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,246,315 11/1917 Peal 46- 176 2,787,862 4/1957 Hoeflich 46196 X 3,029,556 4/1962 Ayala 46-196 3,139,697 7/1964 Mier. 3,277,603 19/1966 Ryan 46-196 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. ROBERT F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner. 

